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Is this the 'face of Buddhist terror'?

This illustration picture taken on June 24, 2013 in Bangkok shows a man reading a copy of the July 1 issue of Time magazine carrying a picture of controversial Myanmar monk Wirathu on its cover. (AFP/Christophe Archambault)

Time magazine’s decision to label Burmese monk Ashin Wirathu as “the face of Buddhist terror” in its July cover has drawn criticism from all sides.

Wirathu, a proponent of Buddhist nationalism, is known for controversial statements comparing Muslims to "African carp" and describing them as quick-breeding and violent. Some have blamed his speeches for the rise in anti-Muslim violence in the newly democratising nation-state. The government of Myanmar issued a press release condemning Time’s cover story, and Wirathu was quoted as saying, “This is being done because the Islamic extremists want my downfall.”

Is this the 'face of Buddhist terror'?

Time cover featuring Burmese monk Wirathu comes under fire.

In the following video by the Democratic Voice of Burma, Wirathu described the Time cover as a "serious violation of media ethics by media workers in a powerful nation" and said he was "very surprised."

we are not terrorist, we are peaceful people and hate terrorism. For these reason, our Buddhist monks are trying to find ways to avoid from being happening again such kind of unnecessary conflict between different religions. So to advise you is, please write articles only after gathering ing sufficient information, and posting picture of another to save their respect and dignity without doing any misconduct.facebook.com

Nyi Zaw Htun writes that she does not support what she calls Wirathu's "anti-Muslim movement" but disagrees with Time's label of him as a terrorist:

i have to admit that i do not support u wirathu anti-muslim movement. but i respect his point of view n his courage.u wirathu may be an anti-muslim buddhist monk but he never was a terrorist nor a riot maker against muslims.facebook.com

A parody of the original Time cover criticising the news magazine circulated online among Wirathu supporters:

facebook.com

Several criticised those who placed blame on the Time cover story, saying the violence against Muslims and Wirathu's "hate speech" should be condemned instead, including Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth:

Instead of denouncing Time cover story on #Burma Buddhist extremism, why not denounce violence against Muslims? http://trib.al/zArmh9JKenneth Roth

Emanuel Stoakes argued the Time cover story on Wirathu lessens the responsibility of other individuals who may be culpable in anti-Muslim violence:

The danger of placing attention on #Wirathu as Time magazine recently did, re: anti-Muslim violence is that it distracts from other figuresEmanuel Stoakes

Burmese activist and blogger Maung Zarni went further to say the state of Myanmar is chiefly responsible for the violence and Islamophobia that "pervades in all state and societal sectors":

TIME's cover story left out what in my view is the most crucial aspect of the rise of Buddhist Terror in Myanmar: the state's ideological and political mobilization of the historical Islamophobia that is known to pervades in all state and societal sectors,maungzarni.com

Zarni continued:

"It's Buddhism, stupid!" is TIME's central and misleading message once again enables Naypyidaw and its generals and ex-generals to externalize their central role and responsibility in the Muslim pogroms to the 'racist' Buddhist monks and ultra-nationalist Burmese public. Repeating this false narrative, President Thein Sein has absolved himself and his administration of any wrong doing or responsibilty this already in his August 2012 on the initial wave of pogroms against the Rohigya.maungzarni.com

What do you think? Should Time have run the cover story with the current headline? Leave a comment below.